Aurora
by Mr. Holmes
Summary: Aurora: a profitable den of vice and villainy. A winner-take-all game of war ensues between three "Kings," with the City at stake. But some players aren't ones to gamble.


_This will be my first attempt at writing a Redwall fanfiction. Please, I would like some constructive criticism so that I can improve. Thank you. _

**Aurora: Prelude**

As the hazy, orange sun set over the desert, it painted the sky and the earth red. Below it, on the flat horizon was a vermin camp, about which thick banks of black smoke swirled. Ash and cinder from the sky rained steadily down upon it. Tattered black flags, each with a red crow stamped on them, fluttered loudly in the wind.

On the outskirts of the camp, casting long shadows on the red ground was a forest of stakes. There were hundreds, and on each some beast was skewered. There were vermin and woodlanders; young beasts and old beasts; militants and innocents. They moaned and cried, and commonly, blood escaped from their mouths' and pooled on the dusty ground below them. Some struggled, though it only prolonged their agony. The grizzly result of their punishment was plastered all over their bleeding faces.

In the center of the sprawling camp, beneath the now purple, starry sky was a great, red tent. Above its flap was a sigil of a black spear.

The inside of the tent was spacious and dark. It was decorated with red drapes, shimmering weaponry, and morbidly artistic totems topped with skulls. Two fire pits made of copper provided a steady, glowing light, which casted odd shadows on the canvas walls. In between these two flames was an imposing throne on which sat Tepes the Impaler; aptly named for his affinity for impaling his enemies.

Tepes (Tsepe) the Impaler was a stoat – a big one. He was thick, tall, and had fiery red fur. His reflective, round eyes were black as coal. He wore a lustrous, golden sigil on his shoulder, which fastened his smoke black cloak. He wasn't the kind of beast that showed much emotion, but instead simmered; handling his affairs with a seemingly placid but cruel disposition.

With Lord Tepes were 3 creatures: a weasel, a ferret, and a rat. The weasel and the ferret were his two Consuls, Odoacer and Vercingetorix. The rat knelt between them was Eon, a scout.

Lord Tepes lifted his round, coal colored eyes to meet the top of Eon's bowed head. "Speak," he commanded in a voice that crackled like a smoldering fire. "Have you brought back victory from your foray into the midsts of the northern wastrels?"

"My lord," said the rat, dipping his head lower, "I am ashamed, as I bear no victories with me. My scouts and I were ambushed by the hares, and overcome with numbers."

Lord Tepes spat into the flames. "If you were so ashamed, then you'd have stayed and died with your compatriots. No. You lie. You are a coward, Eon."

"No, my Lord, I'm not. I only fled so that I could return, and tell you of what I have uncovered," said the rat in his own defense.

"Is it of great value to me?" the warlord asked.

"It is important," the rat replied.

Lore Tepes settled back in his throne. "Then, if you've uncovered knowledge and secrets so great, I shall forgive your destitution."

The rat swallowed hard. "Yes, my Lord. Thank you. To the north, outside of the City of Aurora, the hares have erected their camp. They are, however, at odds with the City's Overlord, Holmes. Neither of them has yet to move to displace the other, though. They're afraid of us, my Lord."

The grim look on his face said it all; Tepes was not impressed. "Is that _all_ that you've learned? You must have known that I have already surmised this. And I needn't ever sacrifice my creatures, or even leave my throne. You have failed me."

The rat dipped so low that his nose touched the ground. "Apologies, my Lord. I shall not fail you again."

"No. No you will not," said Tepes, the temperature of his voice rising. "Odoacer?" he called to the weasel on the rat's right. "Have this wretch put upon a stake."

Eon rose up. "No, My Lord, give me another chance!" he begged.

Lord Tepes flicked his paw dismissively. "One chance is enough."

"No, please! Don't have me impaled, My Lord! I beg of you! No!" The rat shouted as Odoacer, a big weasel by all accounts, dragged him away. Two other vermin met him at the flap to help him, and Eon's screams grew less audible as he was carried off to the forest of stakes.

Lord Tepes turned his attention to the remaining beast, the ferret, Vercingetorix. "And on the subject of stakes," he began, "there is a young mouse tied up in the back. Have the butcher prepare him for me

The ferret bowed low. "Aye, My Lord. So it shall be."

"But wait," Lord Tepes called to the weasel before he'd walked away. "Tell me. Is it dark enough for me to see it, yet?"

"Aye, My Lord. The sun's set. It's plenty dark enough to see."

The great, swarthy warlord rose from his throne, his cape billowing as he stepped out into the windy night. The stars above were obscured by the thick clouds of odorous smoke that hung over the camp. Gently falling ash settled on the Warlord's broad shoulders, fresh screams echoed from the forest of stakes, and Lord Tepes smiled.

He walked towards the edge of the camp until a twinkle in the distance caught his eye. It twinkled red, and then green, and then blue, and then it glistened a great range of colors, like so many sparkling gems.

Lord Tepes parted his lips in admonishment. "Aurora," he said lowly, extending his arms out towards the distant gem. "You shall soon be my city. And then, you shall glow only red."

…

The greatest tower in Aurora was a shimmering, cyclopean column that shot up a hundred and thirty feet into the air. From a window at the top, a lone figure watched the City Strip come to life. Drunkards, gamblers, and deviants of every stripe were pouring into the streets to marvel at the twinkling City, and throw their wealth away at its upscale gambling halls, taverns, and brothels. This brought him cheer.

However, from the top of the tower, the creature could also see the glow of vermin campfires burning in the distance. This disturbed him.

Closer to home, an army of hares had made their base on the outskirts of Aurora.

"_Hares from the Northwest, and a Warlord from the Southeast,_" he thought as he chuckled to himself. "_It seems that I am being besieged from every direction._"

The creature reached into his pocket and produced a standard deck of gambling cards. He unfolded the colorful, rigid boards in a masterful flourish, picked out three kings, and laid them out on the windowsill in front of him so that they overlooked the city.

He then began to riffle through the deck again. He stopped and smiled. "_I have a feeling, however, that Aurora shall soon receive a deliver,_" he thought, as he produced the card he was looking for: a wild card with the image of a bold looking mouse wielding a cross hilt sword on it. Holding it between his thumb and forefinger, he used it to flick away two of the three kings, leaving only the King of Diamonds to cast its stern, unblinking gaze over Aurora.

…

_I based the plot of this story off of that of FONV, while trying not to copy it. _


End file.
